Update Oct. 2, 9:10 a.m.
CSM Cancels Oct. 4 Ward Virts Concert
In light of forecasts and as the region prepares for inclement weather associated with Hurricane Joaquin, the College of Southern Maryland has canceled the Ward Virts Concert and reception featuring Brian Ganz that was previously scheduled for 3 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 4. The concert will be rescheduled to a later date.
Please visit the college’s website, www.csmd.edu for the most up-to-date CSM information, or register to receive emergency notifications through CSM.txt at ready.csmd.edu.
The College of Southern Maryland will open the 2015-16 Ward Virts Concert Series with a performance by classical pianist Brian Ganz 3 p.m., Oct. 4. Ganz’s performance is the first of six in the series, all of which are held at the Prince Frederick Campus, 115 J.W. Williams Road, Prince Frederick in the Multipurpose Room of Building B.
Having performed as a soloist with the St. Louis Symphony, the St. Petersburg Philharmonic (of Russia), the Baltimore Symphony, the National Philharmonic and many more, Ganz is widely regarded as a leading pianist of his generation. He is a laureate of the Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud and the Queen Elisabeth of Belgium International Piano Competitions and has performed with conductors such as Leonard Slatkin, Marin Alsop, Mstislav Rostropovich and Piotr Gajewski.
Since 2011, Ganz has been fulfilling a 10-year project, “Extreme Chopin,” in which he will perform the more than 200 complete works by Frédéric Chopin at the Music Center of Strathmore in Bethesda.
Ganz is on the piano faculty of St. Mary’s College of Maryland, where he is artist-in-residence, and he is a member of the piano faculty of the Peabody Conservatory. He is the artist-editor of the “Schirmer Performance Edition of Chopin’s Preludes” (2005).
The Ward Virts Concert Series is presented and sponsored by the CSM Foundation and is also sponsored by Dr. and Mrs. Henry Virts, Edward and Patricia Mehosky, Exelon Corporation, Nancy Powell Hempstead in memory of Roger Powell, and Stovy and Anne Brown.
Grants are provided by the Arts Council of Calvert County and Maryland State Arts Council.
Admission is free and seating is open but limited. Doors open for seating at 2:30 p.m. the day of the concert. For information, contact 443-550-6011, rfleming@csmd.edu or http://www.csmd.edu/calendar/arts/prince-frederick/brian-ganz-piano. The complete schedule for the 2015-16 Ward Virts Series is Brian Ganz (piano), Oct. 4; the Unified Jazz Ensemble (jazz quartet), Nov. 1; the Barry Gurley Trio (pop/classical), Feb. 14; the Merling Trio (classical), March 6; David Kane (jazz/classical), April 3; and the Octtava Duo (piano), May 1.
